GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University Beach and Indoor Volleyball programs are proud to announce the addition of four new members for the upcoming 2020 seasons. Two of the additions are mid-year additions to the program in Division I transfer
McKenna Palmer and early high school graduate
Paige Gwaltney, who along with 2019 fall enrollees
Mary McGinnis and
Savannah Ott, are beach-only additions.
Palmer, a native of Paonia, Colorado, will also play indoor for the Mavericks after transferring from the University of Northern Colorado, where she helped the Bears win the Big Sky Conference Championship and make a NCAA Division I Tournament appearance last fall. She will have four seasons of beach and three seasons of indoor eligibility at CMU. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter and middle blocker was a 12-time letter-winner in three sports and was named as the Western Slope League Player of the Year and as an Under Armour AVCA Honorable Mention All-American as a high school senior in the fall of 2017.
Gwaltney hails from Sacramento, California and graduated from Rio Americano High School a semester early. During her senior season last fall, she was named to Sacramento's all-metro and all-city team and was a 3-time All-Capital Athletic League pick throughout her career with the Raiders.
McGinnis, who played club volleyball for Des Moines Beach, was a 2-time First Team All-Hawkeye indoor player for the Indianola High School Indians.
Ott, was a 2-time First Team All-Jeffco 4A selection for the Green Mountain High School Rams during her career and played club volleyball for the Colorado Juniors.
Complete biographies on all four additions to the program can be seen below.
The Mavericks, the only NCAA member to sponsor the sport of beach volleyball in the state of Colorado, will begin their fifth season on Feb. 28 at the Arizona Invitational in Tucson.
Prep: Graduated a semester early (December, 2019) from Rio Americano HS… Was a 3-time All-Capital Athletic League pick for the John Grix coached Raiders for indoor volleyball… Was also named to the All-Metro and All-City teams and to the Sacramento Bee's Top 20 player listing in 2019… Captained the Raiders to tenth place in the NorCal CIF State championship… Set the school-record for the most successful serve receptions (659) in a season as a senior in 2019… Was named to the 2019 All-Star Optimist Game game helping the South Team to victory… Was a 4-year scholar-athlete award winner as a dual-sport athlete in volleyball and swimming.
Club: Played for Coach Rick McNabb and Rage… Helped the 17-1 team earn a bronze medal in the national division at the 2019 national championships… The squad was ranked 39th in the country… Had helped the NCVC 16s finish 19th in the open division at the 2018 Girls Junior National Championships… That squad was ranked 25th in the country at the end of the season… Was a
2017 USA Volleyball A2 Invitational Team Member and an alternate for the A1 Team.
Personal: Is majoring in counseling psychology… Aspires to open a private practice as a clinical psychologist to work with kids and teens… Daughter of Mary and Dan Gwaltney… Enjoys listening to classic rock, baking, being a foodie and spending all my free time and money at Target or Chick-fil-A.
Why I Chose CMU: "First and foremost, the coaches were what drew me to CMU. But once I saw the campus and met the team, it felt like home. Plus, I am excited to explore the beautiful sights in the area."
Prep: Was a 2-time First Team All-Hawkeye Conference indoor player for the Kent Halstead coached Indianola HS Indians… Earned those honors as a junior and senior after picking up honorable mention honors as a sophomore.
Club: Played club beach volleyball for Des Moines Beach, coached by Scarlett Molina and Shelby Sawyer.
Personal: Is majoring in exercise science… Daughter of Matt and Wendy McGinnis… Has an older sister Doris and younger brother John… Plans to go on to physical therapy school and work as a pediatric physical therapist… Enjoys hanging out with friends and playing sports.
Why I Chose CMU: "I chose CMU because of the campus and athletics."
Savannah Ott
(5-6 - Defender - Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain HS)
Prep: Was a 2-time (2017, 2018) First Team All-Jeffco 4A indoor player for the Melanie Watkins coached Green Mountain HS Rams… Also earned second team all-conference honors as a sophomore in 2016… Was named as the team's MVP as a senior and as the Rams' most improved player in 2015… Was a 4-time academic all-state pick.
Club: Played for Colorado Juniors.
Personal: Is majoring in business… Aspires to work in international business so that I can travel… Daughter of Michael and Tracie Ott… Has one older brother— Tanner… Enjoys yoga and spending time with friends and family.
Why I Chose CMU: "I chose CMU because it makes me feel at home and I love the outdoors."
McKenna Palmer
(5-11 - Blocker - Paonia, Colo./Northern Colorado/Paonia HS)
Before CMU: Redshirted in 2018 before playing in six sets and three matches in the fall of 2019… Recorded six kills, two digs and a block while helping the Bears win a Big Sky Conference Championship and make an appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.
Prep: Was a 3-sport and 12-time letterwinner for the Paonia HS Eagles… In volleyball, helped the Krista Carsten coached Eagles to three state championship appearances… Earned first team all-state honors as a sophomore before picking up second team honors as a junior and honorable mention pick as a senior… Was an Honorable Mention Under Armour/AVCA All-American and the Western Slope League MVP as a senior in 2017… Was a 2-time first team all-conference pick… Won a basketball state title as a junior in 2017 after a runner-up finish the year before… Helped the track and field team to three straight titles (2015-17)… Won the triple jump while placing second in the long jump and eighth in the hurdles as a senior in 2018… Had placed second in the triple jump and sixth in the long jump as a junior… Was third in the triple jump as a sophomore.
Personal: Is majoring in political science… Daughter of Randal and Melissa Palmer… Has two older siblings (Keegan, Brielle)… Wants to continue on to law school after graduation… Loves to read, fish and hike with time off.
Why I Chose CMU: "I chose CMU because it is close to home and also because the culture that surrounds Mesa is centered with success academically and athletically. I've always known about CMU growing up not far from here, but I know now that my decision was the right one because the coaches and players are all working towards one goal."
